Vibrating propeller.



B. H. GOPFEY.

I VIBRATING PROPELLER. APPLICATION 31mm 0015, 190a REIBWBD rm. 9. 1910.

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B. H. GOPFEY. VIBRATING PRDPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 1908. RENEWED FEB. 9,1910.

Patented Oct. 11,1910.

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BARTON H. COFFEY, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VIBRATING PROPELLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 5, 1908, Serial No. 456,321.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910. Renewed 'February 9, 1910. Serial No. 542,941.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARTON H. GOFFEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county.of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Vibrating Propeller, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to propellers adapted to both marine and aerialpropulsion and belongs to the class wherein the reaction of vibratingplanes against the fluid in which they are immersed, is utilized toproduce linear motion.

The objects of my invention are, to produce a propeller of higherefficiency, and that can be operated with less draft than the ordinaryscrew propeller; and to accomplish these purposes I employ the samereactions utilized by fish to produce motion.

Reference now being had to the drawings, Figures 1 to 7 are diagrammaticrepresentations of my preferred form of propeller, and two variations;shown in different positions, in order to illustrate the reactions. Fig.8 is a plan View showing my preferred form of propeller, with one formof driving gear, as applied to a vessel. Fig. 9 is an elevation of Fig.8, partially in section. Fig. 10, is a diagrammatic plan view of mypreferred form of propeller, with an alternate form of driving gear.Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively an elevation and plan of my preferredpropeller, as applied to a flying machine.

Figs. 1 to 1 show the four principal positions of my preferred form ofpropeller, comprising a complete cycle of movement.

A. and B. are two planes rotatable about the axis 0. which is in therigid body D.

C is a third plane either integral with D. or rotatable about the axis Owhich is with in D.

Beginning with Fig. 1, if the planes B and C are held rigidly and theplane A rotated in the path of the dotted arc and direct-ion of thearrow, and bearing in mind thatthe reaction of any fluid against amoving plane is always normal to that plane; there will be a reaction Xagainst A, which reaction may be resolved into the components X normalto the center-line of D, and X parallel with it. The direction of theseforces are indicated by the small arrow heads. The component X forces Dto the left and so causes the reaction Y against the plane B which isheld from rotating. Y.

may be resolved into Y normal to D and Y parallel therewith. It will nowbe observed that X and Y form a couple tending to revolve D, contraclockwise, which tendency lines) X is equal in amount and opposed to Yand the system is in equilibrium. At this point A ceases to rotate andis held rigidly.

Proceeding now to Fig. 2, B commences to rotate in the direction shown,causing the reaction Y to shift to its opposite side, and the horizontalcomponent Y setting up the reaction X on A as indicated. During thefirst half of Bs rotation, Y though opposed to X, is less in amount andthere is motion in the direction of E, during the second half Y appears,and is in the same direction as X The balancing reaction Z, is reversed.

In Fig. 3, B, is held and A rotated back to its position in Fig."-1,setting up similar reactions producing motion in the direction E: andfinally in Fig. 4 A is held and B returned to its position of Fig. 1,thus completing a cycle, which if constantly repeated will produceconstant motion in the direction E. The system is perfectly reversible,as shown at Fig. 5. The planes are in the same position as shown on Fig.1, but on starting, A is held and B rotated, the ensuing sequence ofmotions, reverses the reactions, obviously reversing the direction ofmotion. It will be noted that at every position of the system apropelling force exists.

Figs. 6 and 7 show alternate forms of propeller acting on the samegeneral principle, of oscillating and fixed planes. F and G rotate aboutaxes P and P within the rigid body I. H a third plane (in Fig. 7) joinstheir extremities about which it is rotatable. J, balances the reactionstending to rotate I. The reactions are very similar to those alreadydescribed in detail and can be readily followed from the diagrams, whichshow the alternate forms in one position, the reactions and parts beinglettered to facilitate correspondence if deemed necessary. If it isdesired to change the line of motion, the plane C. may be rotated ineither direction as indicated at Fig. 1.

I term the oscillating planes A, B, F, G, and H, motor planes; and thefixed planes C, and J, balancing planes In practice the hull and keel ofa vessel may offer sufficient resistance to rotatlon; this equivalenteffect rendering a special balancing plane unnecessary. In aviatlon thespecial balancing plane would most probably be required. I find, thatmoderate de-' partures from the strictly theoretical motions and pausesshown on the diagrams, do not materially affect the efficiency of thesystem, and also the lines of the hull have an effect on the reaction.

In Figs. 8 and 9, 1 is the hull of a vessel partly broken away, showingthe bow and stern sections, floating at the water line 17. 2 arereversing engines driving the vertical shaft 4, by the crank 3, 5 is acrank integral with 4. J ournaled to 5, are the connectin rods 6, inturn journaled to the cranks and 8, which are integral with theconcentric shafts 9 and 10, which are integral with the propeller blades11 and 12. The shafts 9 and 10 are held by the bearing 18 and the skeg19. In the keel 16 near the how, an opening is made for the rudder 15,operated by the shaft 14 and wheel 13. The rudder can be moved in theare 16 for steering.

In operation it will be obvious that as the crank 5 revolves there willbe four points in its path when one of the connecting rods 6 is on adead center. At this point the connecting rod is stationary," and for aconsiderable are on either side ofthis point the linear motion of therod is very small. These periods correspond with the four pauses in thediagrams Figs. 1 to 4, and as the propeller blades are driven by theconnecting rods, they artake of these periods of slow motion an rest. Itwill also be noted that where one connecting rod is on a dead center,the other is at its point of greatest motion, corresponding to the fouroscillations of the diagrams. Reversing the crank, reverses thepropeller thrust. This driving gear gives a fair approximation ofthetheoretical requirements, and works well in practice. The rudder 15and keel 16 constitute the requisite balancing plane.

In Fig. 10, 26 and 27 are engine cylinders, having valves 24, 25operated through the rock-shaft 2223 from the piston rods 2120 of theopposite cylinder. This valve gear'is in common use upon the ordinaryduplex pumping engine, and may be so set that steam is not admitted toone cylinder, until the-companion cylinder has completed its stroke,resulting in one cylinder being always at rest while the other one isworking, and. producing a sequence. of movements and pauses thatsynchronize perfectly with the theoretical requirements of the diagrams.On journaling the piston rods 20 and 21 to the cranks 7 and 8 the abovemotions are transmitted to the propeller blades 11 and 12.

In Figs. 11 and 12, 28 is the trussed body of an aeroplane carrying theengine 33, which operates the wings 29 and 30 through the shaft 34, andeither with gear similar to that of Figs. 8 and 9 or some other form,imparts to them the motions already described. The planes 31 perform thedouble duty of sustaining longitudinal equilibrium, and balancing therotative couple developed at the wings. The vertical plane 32 directsmotion, in the horizontal plane.

There are many combinations of mutually reacting oscillatmg andstationary planes giving a propulsive thrust at all positions that willsuggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and therefore I do notconfine myself to the specific forms shown, as for instance Fig. 7 amodification of Fig. 7, in which the motor planes F and G are omitted,and the plane H, oscillated by the cranks K and L: a fixed motor plane Mbeing necessary to take the counter reaction.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is,

1. A vibrating propeller consisting of mutually reacting motor-planes,each plane provided with means to oscillate it upon an axis and to holdit substantially motionless at the termination of each oscillation; theseveral means being so organized that there shall substantially alwaysbe planes in motion and planes at rest, for the purposes set forth.

2. A vibrating propeller consisting of mutually reacting motor-planes,each plane provided with means to oscillate it upon an axis and to holdit substantially motionless at the termination of each oscillation, theseveral means being so organized that there shall substantially alwaysbe planes in motion and planes at rest; in combination with abalancing-plane and a rigid connecting body; for the purposes set forth.

3. In a vibrating propeller, two mutually reacting motor-planes adaptedto oscillate upon an axis, and means to alternately hold first one andthen the other plane substantially at rest and simultaneously tooscillate the companion plane, for the purposes set forth.

4. In a vibrating propeller, two mutually reacting motor-planes adaptedto oscillate upon an axis, means to alternately hold first one and thenthe other plane substantially at rest and simultaneously to oscillatethe companion plane; in combination with a balancing-plane and a rigidconnecting body for the purposes set forth.

5. A vibrating propeller, consisting of mutually reacting motor-planes,each plane provided with means to oscillate it upon an axis, and to holdit substantially motionless at the termination of each oscillation, theseveral means being so organized that there shall substantially alwaysbe planes in motion and planes at rest; in combination with means toreverse the sequence in which the planes are oscillated and heldsubstantially at rest, in order to reverse the direction of thrust; forthe purposes set forth.

6. In a vibrating propeller, a shaft as 4:, a crank as 5, integral withsaid shaft, two links as 6, journaled to said crank, two

cranks as 7 and 8 journaled to said links, two concentric shafts as 9and 10 integral with said cranks, two blades as 11 and 12, integral withsaid concentric shafts; in combination with means to revolve the shaftfirst mentioned in either direction, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, on the 28th day of September1908.

BARTON H. COFFEY.

In presence of- DELIA U. CHAPMAN, JULIA G. B. COFFEY.

